Patna Dhamma Verses
Patna Dhammapadaṁ
Bālavarggaḥ
11: The Chapter about Fools
174. Caranti bālā dummedhā amitteṇa-r-iva āttanā,
karontā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
yaṁ hoti kaṭukapphalaṁ.
174. Stupid fools live having themselves as their own foes,
committing wicked deeds,
which produce bitter fruit.
175. Kathañ-ca taṁ kare kammaṁ,
yaṁ kattā anutappati,
yassa aṁśumukho rodaṁ,
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
175. How could he do that deed,
which, having done, one has regret,
for which he has tears on his face,
as the result follows him round.
176. Taṁ ca kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
yaṁ kattā nānutappati,
yassa pratīto sumano,
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
176. But that deed is well done,
which, having done, one has no regret,
for which he is pleased and happy,
as the result follows him round.
177. Yāvad eva anatthāya,
ñāttaṁ bālassa jāyati,
hanti bālassa śukrāṅggaṁ,
muddham assa nipātaye.
177. As far as learning arises for a fool,
it is only to his disadvantage,
it destroys the fool’s good quality,
and it will destroy his head.
178-179. Asatāṁ bhāvanam icchanti,
purekkhārañ-ca bhikkhusu,
āvāsesu ca essariyaṁ,
pūjāṁ parakulesu ca:
“Mameva katamannentu
ghī pravrajitā ca ye,
na me pratibalā assa,
kiccākiccesu kesuci”,
iti bālassa saṅkappo,
icchā māno ca vaddhati.
178-179. He wishes for the respect that is lacking,
and status amongst the monastics,
for control in the living quarters,
and worship amongst good families:
“Householders and renunciants
should think this was done by me,
let none be a match for me,
in all to be done and not done”,
so does the fool think,
meanwhile his desires and conceit increase.
180(-181). Cone has divided the previous pair of verses and this pair differently, so that there are five verses instead of four, as here. As this goes against both the sense and the division in the Pāḷi parallel, it seems the division is wrong. To maintain consistency with Cone’s edition I have marked these three pādayugas as 180-181, although strictly speaking it is only one verse. Aññā hi lābhopaniśā,
aññā Nibbāṇagāminī,
evam etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ
paśśaṁ Buddhassa sāvako
sakkāraṁ nābhinandeyā,
vivekam anubrūhaye.
180(-181). For the means to gains is one thing,
the path going to Nibbāna another,
thus seeing this as it really is
the disciple of the Buddha
should not delight in honours,
but practise in solitude.
182. Jayaṁ ve manyate bālo,
vācāya paruṣaṁ bhaṇaṁ,
satāṁ hesa jayo hoti
yā titikkhā vijānato.
182. The fool thinks there is success,
when he speaks words that are rough,
but for the one who knows,
endurance is the success of the good.
183. Abalaṁ tassa balaṁ hoti
yassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ,
balassa Dhammaguttassa
paṭivattā na vijjati.
183. Without power is the power of him
whose power is the power of a fool,
reproach is not found for the powerful one,
protected by Dhamma.
184. Yo bālo bālamānī,
paṇḍito cāpi tattha so,
bālo tu paṇḍitamānī,
sa ve bālo ti vuccati.
184. The fool who conceives he is a fool,
is at least wise in that matter,
the fool who is proud of his wisdom,
he is said to be a fool indeed.
185. Drīghā assupato rātrī,
drīghaṁ śāntassa yojanaṁ,
drīgho bālānā saṁsāro
Saddhammam avijānatāṁ.
185. Long is the night for one who sleeps not,
long is a league for one tired,
long is the round of births and deaths for fools
who know not True Dhamma.
186. Pūtimacche kuśāggreṇa yo naro upanahyati,
kuśā pi pūtiṁ vāyanti,
evaṁ bālopasevanā.
186. That man who wraps up rotting fish with the best fragrant grass,
makes the fragrant grass smell rotten,
and so with those who associate with fools.
187. Tagarañ-ca palāśamhi yo naro upanahyati,
pattaṁ pi surabhiṁ vāti evaṁ dhīropasevanā.
187. That man who wraps up pinwheel Pinwheel (Tabernaemontana divaricata) is a common and fragrant flower. in flame-tree leaves,
makes even the leaf fragrant,
and so with those who associate with the wise.
188. Akaronto pi ce pāpaṁ karonte upasevati,
śaṅkiyo hoti pāpamhi,
avaṇṇo cāssa rūhati.
188. If one who does no wickedness associates with those who do,
he is suspected of wickedness,
and his disrepute increases.
189. Sevamāno sevamāne
sampuṭṭho samphusaṁ pare,
śaro litto kalāpe vā,
alitte upalimpati,
upalepabhayā dhīro
neva pāpasakhā siyā.
189. An associate associating
with others who are touched by contacts,
like a smeared arrow in a bunch,
smears that which is unsmeared,
fearing being smeared the wise one
will not have wicked friends.
190. Tassā phalapuṭasseva ñāyyā sampākam āttano,
asanto nopaseveyā,
santo seveya paṇḍito.
190. Therefore Therefore is said referring back to the group of verses beginning with 186 above. knowing the result for oneself of the fruit container,
he should not follow the bad one,
the wise one should associate with the good one.
191. Yāvaj jīvaṁ pi ce bālo paṇḍite payirupāsati,
neva Dhammaṁ vijānāti,
dravvī sūparasān iva.
191. Even if a fool attends on a wise man for his whole life long,
he does not learn Dhamma,
like the spoon learns not the taste of curry.
192. Muhuttam api ce prañño paṇḍite payirupāsati,
khipraṁ Dhammaṁ vijānāti,
jivhā sūparasān iva.
192. If a perceptive man attends on a wise man even for a second,
he quickly learns Dhamma,
like the tongue learns the taste of curry.
193. Nāppaṁ pāpassa maññeyā:
na me taṁ āgamiṣyati,
udabindunipātena
udakumbho pi pūrati,
pūrate bālo pāpassa
thokathokaṁ pi ācinaṁ.
193. One should not despise a little wickedness thinking:
it will not come to me,
through the falling of water drops
the water-pot is quickly filled,
the fool, gathering bit by bit,
becomes full of wickedness.
194. Nāppaṁ puññassa manyeyā:
na me taṁ āgamiṣyati,
udabindunipātena
udakumbho pi pūrati,
pūrate prañño puññassa
thokathokaṁ pi ācinaṁ.
194. One should not despise little merit thinking:
it will not come to me,
through the falling of water drops
the water-pot is quickly filled,
the wise one, gathering bit by bit,
becomes full of merit.
Bālavarggaḥ
The Chapter about Fools